American Bridge 21st Century is a political group in the United States. It works to help Democratic candidates win elections by researching their opponents and sharing facts with the public. This guide explains everything you need to know about American Bridge 21st Century in simple language that anyone can understand.
Who Started American Bridge 21st Century?
American Bridge 21st Century was started in 2010 by David Brock, a political consultant and former conservative journalist who became a strong supporter of Democratic causes. David Brock is also known for his work with other progressive organizations, including Media Matters for America. He created American Bridge to help the Democratic Party by collecting information about Republican politicians and using it to support Democratic campaigns. The idea behind this group was to watch what politicians say and do, and then share the truth with voters.
David Brock saw that conservative groups had powerful media and political tools. So, he wanted to build something just as strong on the Democratic side. American Bridge became one of the most influential Super PACs supporting Democratic candidates in the U.S. today.
What Does American Bridge 21st Century Do?
American Bridge 21st Century mainly works to support Democrats and oppose Republicans during elections. It does this by conducting deep research, tracking political candidates, and spreading truthful information through media and digital platforms.
The group uses a mix of video tracking, fact-checking, and public records to find out what Republican candidates are saying and doing. Then, it shares that information with voters, journalists, and Democratic campaigns.
They don’t run the campaigns themselves, but they support them by giving them valuable information. This helps voters make smart decisions and keeps politicians honest.
Why Is It Called “American Bridge”?
The name “American Bridge” was chosen to reflect the group’s mission to connect people with the truth and to build a stronger America through progressive values. A bridge is something that brings people together. American Bridge wants to bring together facts, ideas, and strategies to help Democrats win and build a better future.
The “21st Century” part of the name shows that this group is focused on modern tools, technology, and the issues that matter most in today’s world—like digital media, online communication, and real-time political tracking.
Helping Democrats Win Elections
One of the biggest goals of American Bridge 21st Century is to help Democrats win elections at all levels—local, state, and national. The group doesn’t run candidates or create laws. Instead, it works behind the scenes to collect and share facts that help Democratic candidates look good and make Republican candidates look bad (if they’ve said or done something questionable).
For example, if a Republican candidate says something false or harmful, American Bridge might find a video clip of it and share it with the media. This can change how voters see that candidate and help the Democrat win.
They also build large databases of information that can help Democratic campaigns plan strategies and create effective messages for voters.
Using Research to Tell the Truth
American Bridge 21st Century has a large team of researchers who look up public records, study news articles, watch videos of speeches, and read social media posts from political figures. They look for anything that might show a politician being dishonest, inconsistent, or extreme in their views.
The goal is not just to attack people, but to highlight facts that voters need to know. They focus on truth-telling and transparency. For example, if a politician says they support working families but then votes against minimum wage laws, American Bridge will point that out using facts and public records.
This kind of research helps the public make informed decisions during elections.
Spreading Information Online
In today’s world, social media is one of the fastest ways to reach people. American Bridge 21st Century uses platforms like Twitter (now X), Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram to share their findings with millions of people.
They also work with digital ads, video clips, and graphics that are easy to share and understand. This helps spread important political messages quickly, especially during election season.
Their goal is to make sure the truth reaches as many people as possible—especially voters who may not follow politics closely.
Is American Bridge 21st Century a Super PAC?
Yes, American Bridge 21st Century is a Super PAC. That means it’s a type of political group that can raise and spend unlimited money to support candidates or issues. However, it cannot give money directly to candidates or coordinate directly with their campaigns.
Super PACs are allowed to spend their funds on things like ads, videos, social media, and research. American Bridge uses its Super PAC status to focus on opposition research and spreading truthful information that helps Democratic candidates.
They are one of the most well-known and powerful Super PACs on the Democratic side, often working closely with other progressive organizations.
Who Gives Money to American Bridge 21st Century?
American Bridge 21st Century receives donations from wealthy individuals, foundations, and sometimes labor unions or advocacy groups that support Democratic values. Some of the biggest supporters include George Soros, a billionaire philanthropist who funds many progressive causes.
The group also gets donations from grassroots supporters—regular people who want to help Democrats win elections. Because it is a Super PAC, American Bridge is required to report its donors to the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
Money from donors is used to pay for staff, research tools, travel, digital ads, and video production. All of this helps the group do its job more effectively.
How Does American Bridge 21st Century Find Information?
American Bridge 21st Century uses a mix of technology, research, and fieldwork to gather information about political candidates. They have a large team that watches politicians, saves useful clips, and shares important details with journalists and campaigns.
Let’s break it down further:
Watching Politicians Closely
One of the most important jobs at American Bridge is tracking. This means sending staff to follow politicians around—at speeches, town halls, debates, or any public event. These staffers take notes, record videos, and write reports about what was said and done.
This is a key part of their opposition research. By keeping a close eye on politicians, they can catch things that might otherwise go unnoticed by the public or media.
Saving Clips and Quotes
Once American Bridge has footage of a politician, the next step is to save the important parts. Their staff goes through hours of video to find short clips that can be shared online or with reporters.
They also collect quotes from newspapers, interviews, and social media. These quotes are stored in a large database, which can be used later to compare what a politician said then versus now.
If someone changes their views or says something offensive, American Bridge is ready with proof.
Sharing Info with Reporters
American Bridge doesn’t always release information on its own. Sometimes, it works with journalists and media outlets to get the facts out. When they find something newsworthy, they may share it with a reporter who can write a story about it.
This helps ensure that the truth reaches even more people. Reporters trust American Bridge because the group backs up its claims with real evidence.
In this way, American Bridge acts like a bridge between research and public knowledge.
Why Understanding This Group Matters
Understanding American Bridge 21st Century is important because they play a big role in U.S. politics—especially during elections. Even though they don’t run for office, they help shape how people think about the candidates who do.
By collecting and sharing facts, they help protect democracy and keep politicians honest. Whether you agree with their views or not, it’s helpful to know how political groups like this work and where they get their information.
The Bottom Line
American Bridge 21st Century is a powerful political research group that helps Democratic candidates by gathering and sharing information about their Republican opponents. Started by David Brock, it uses smart research, digital tools, and strong messaging to influence elections.
It’s a Super PAC, so it can raise and spend lots of money, but it doesn’t work directly with political campaigns. Instead, it acts behind the scenes—tracking politicians, saving videos and quotes, and sharing facts with the public and the press.
